Ins Workers May Lose Secrecy In Elian Case

MIAMI — A federal judge has ordered an attorney to divulge the names of the INS employees who claim they were ordered to destroy documents related to the EliM-an GonzM-alez case.

U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno decided Tuesday that Coral Springs labor lawyer Donald Appignani must disclose the identities of his clients so attorneys for EliM-an's great uncle LM-azaro GonzM-alez may interview them.

GonzM-alez, his wife and daughter are suing the federal government and Miami police, claiming the April 22 raid that removed the boy violated their constitutional rights. Their lawyers received a break in November, when Appignani told Guralnick that INS employees had told him they were instructed to remove "anything derogatory to the EliM-an GonzM-alez case," including pictures, e-mail or computer files.

Citing attorney-client privilege, Appignani declined to reveal his clients' identities. He said the INS employees feared retaliation from their employers.

But Guralnick said he needed to interview the employees to determine what information may have been destroyed, and on whose orders.

Moreno agreed. "It is in the best interest of justice to ascertain if the serious allegations of wrongdoing on the part of government officials occurred in order to take appropriate disciplinary or remedial action," he said in his order.

Appignani said he could not comment on the judge's order before discussing it with his clients.

David CM-azares can be reached at dcazares@sun-sentinel.com or 305-810-5012.